


Bruised

by WonderTwinC



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-15
Updated: 2015-05-15
Packaged: 2018-03-30 15:38:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3942205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WonderTwinC/pseuds/WonderTwinC
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every inch of me is bruised.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bruised

Laurel stood outside of her father’s apartment building, her hands shoved into the pockets of her hand-me-down jacket. The light in his apartment was still on despite the late hour and she’d been standing here, watching his window for almost an hour now. Some part of her, a very large part if she were honest, wanted to march inside of the building and climb the two flights of stairs to his door. She wanted him to tell her that everything would be okay and that none of this was her fault. She wanted to apologize to him for so many things, but Laurel knew that it would solve nothing.

He’d been avoiding her calls more and more since she’d had Oliver released from custody. He wouldn’t even look her in the eye if they were in the precinct together. Whatever thread that had held them together after Sara’s death had snapped and the recoil was a bit hard to swallow.

In the face of everything else, the trouble with Merlyn and the League and Oliver, it seemed like such a small problem. But she missed her Dad. She missed his confidence and their late night meals after work. She missed being able to talk to him and the way he’d wrap his arms around her in a tight hug whenever he was worried or words just weren’t enough.

Nyssa had brought a small bit of light back to her life for the past few weeks. She’d found a friend in the assassin that she’d never thought possible. Someone to talk and laugh with. Someone to teach her and build her up when it felt like the rest of the world was just trying to tear her down. Nyssa was calm and steady when Laurel needed it most and just the thought of the other woman was more than enough to have tears building in her eyes.

She hadn’t been able to protect Nyssa. She wasn’t able to protect anyone. Not Sara and definitely not Tommy. Not Oliver who was running head first into his own destruction - not even her father who she just wanted to see smile again.

Tired and more than a bit cold, Laurel pulled one hand out of her jacket in order to zip it up against the night air. The same pull that had brought her to her father’s apartment settled beneath her skin, raising goosebumps along her arms and chest. Her throat closed as she tried to swallow. The need for a drink tasted bitter on her tongue and Laurel shoved her hand back into her jacket pocket to brush her fingers against the chip that she kept attached to her keys.

_Nine months._

Laurel Lance had never let anything in her life keep her down for long.

And as easy as it would be, she wasn’t going to start now.

 

 


End file.
